The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-11-24

ever saw or heard of, charging right IN against
our lines but we rcpulsed them with great
slaughter and with equal determination. They
made charge after charge, and the more we
beat them OF the more furious they became,
until the roar OF battle and the surge Of the
charge made the very earth tromble beneath us.
Everything was drowned by the rattle Of
muskctry aud the tumult of the onslaught
judged from the way they fought that they
knew they had three or four times the number
of men we did; az least, they kept up the
fighting, never ccasing for scarcely moment
for nearly four hours j did not know GER
tainly what troops were opposing us, but under
stood il was Longstrect's command, which
consisted Of his own corps and Others that We're
placed under him.
Some time In the afternoon, about o'clock,
when the fighting in our front was as heavy as
it could be, Gen. Steedman came up with di-
vision and went 10 the right of Brannan, in a
rayine, and entered the fight with us. The
hlll ahuttcd up against the ravine, so that the
enemy could not get farther TO the right
NO ARTILLERY WAS USED ON EITHER SIDE,
at least ] could hear none but il was fight
with the deadly musllet welded with all the
skill and power OF gallant soldiery. But we
could not be dislodged from our position, and
stayed there as though we were frozen 10
the hill.
Steedman, as well rs we on the hill, held his
ground and was never driven an inch. In our
front everything was moved smooth by bull
let's and the dead lay thicker than i ever saw
them on any other battlefield. Gen. Ward aud
Maj. Stinchcom, OF the 18th Ohio, came up
with Brannans forces and acted nobly and
gallantly Gen. Ward fell, pierced with a
minieball, and was carried from the field
dangerously wounded.
The fighting after some four hours subsidized
little, but the enemy kept it up till dark; then
everything quieted down. / supposed the
enemy was defeated or at least was satisfied that
they could not whip us. We had shot away
all the ammunition that we could get, and were
determined TO hold the hill with the bayonet
which had already been used by those who
were out of ammunition. We had fought all
day without food or water, when at last an or
der came lat least i was told so that other
troops would take our place, and that we should
go down the hill on the opposite side from the
enemy IN the bottom, and get supper. We
moved by the left flank which threw the SOD
Ind. in advance. We marched some distance,
when we came TO a road. One OF Thomas's
staff officers was there. Gen. Brannan asked
him III that was the road 20 Rossville lie said
il was. Then Gen. Brannan ordered me 10 take
il and 80 there, which was the FIRST intilnaiion
j had that we were going there 20 take new
position.
You can imagine my feelings better than /
can express them. supposed the enemy was
defeated, and instead Of our taking new posi-
ton for defense, we should be preparing 10 ad-
vance, for we had undoubtedly defeated the
enemy In our front, and / supposed the rest Of
the army had done likewise.
/ could not see any of our forces but small
portion Of them on our left, about a half mile
away, and could not hear anything that was
going on, for everything was
DROWNED BY ROAR OF MUsKErRY,
- n a. A. n
had been holding the enemy in check until
Thomas had gotten the rest OF the army out Of
danger, and that We were now merely bringing
up the rear. Besides, we were now marching
away from our killed and wounded
had two brothers in my regiment, aud did
not know whether they were with Us or not;
my Lieutenant-Colonel had a son who / knew
was wounded, but did not know where he was,
besides 81 the killed and wounded, leaving
them 20 fall into the hands of the enemy. /
did not know our losses, but knew they must
be heavy. When we made the charge in the
morning after i O'Clock, after the 18th and 3lst
Ohio had given way from the breastworls /
knew our loss must be terrible in killed aud
wounded, for when we came out of that charge
The regiment did not look half as large As when
we entered the fight. ] expected when night
came 70 have our killed aud wounded cared
for, but now we could sec after none Ii was
i eight miles 10 Rossyille; the night was dark
! and the surviving troops were tired as they had
/ fought all day without food or water, and vet
! had TO travel this distance, leaving an enemy
between Us and those We loved so well. But
enough Of this, for the very thought Of il un-
nerves me TO this day.
Now what ] claim for the s2d Ind. is this:
they are entitled 30 the credit OF being the
first troops ON the hili which proved 10 be
the key to the battlefield. and held il against
the enemy Tor al least aH hour and a half until
! Gen. Thomas could learn its importance and
send up reinfOrcements, which held it and
saved our army. Had The 52d Ind. not gone
/ on that hill the enemy would undoubtedly
have destroyed our forces. for they would have
gotten behind rs aud assaulted Us in the front
aud rear R0secrans had left the army aud
gone in the direction of Chattanooga and given
up, as also had the commanders Of the right
and left wings Of the army. and the whole COM
| mand fell Oh IhomAss shoulders Thomas
could not have learned the importance Of this
! position had not the c2d Ind. taken aud de-
Tended IL until he had time to see and know
the advantage il afforded hence the order he
sent, TO hold IL Ht all hazards"
The fighting We dad on that hill 70 hold il
on the 20th day Of September, lSG3, is equal, II
not superior, TO that Of any struggle fought
during the war. In this remark include an
the troops on the hill and Siuedman's IN The
ravine TO our right il is claimed that when
Steedman came into the fight he saved oui
army by keeping the enemy from naukinp
Branuan. That may be true but Brannan wa.
Of as much importance 10 Steedman as Steed.
man was TO Braunan. II he kept the enemy
from thanking Brannan on the right, Brannau
kept the enemy from lanlIing Stcedman on
the left. One was just as important as tht
other The truth is just as I have stated IL;
THE HONOR or SAVING THE ARMY
was due 20 all the troops that fought on th,
i nil mud tu lfn IN f1Fa rff
much as the other, for il took the fighting O
all 20 bold the position.
ln anything have said do not wish 90 b,
understood as detracting from the rest of ID,
! army, for believe every regiment did ITS ful
duty, and is entitled 10 credit therefor Som,
regiments had more Fighting 20 do than others
because they occupied positions that the enc
my thought more important for them 10 tax,
than Others; hence the hard fighting OF In,
62d on the second day, for we occupied posi-
uOn with other comrades that the enemy de
sired 20 take, and massed their forces 10 take
and tried with all their power from J O'CLOCK
till dark 10 accomplish il, but utterly failed il
their attempt.
la the morning before the fight commenced
ordered Maj. Slocum, Of my regiment, 20 TAX,
80 men aud 60 out aud form picket-line ant
guard the open gap % our right He aud hi
men who were not killed or wounded wher
the enemy made the attack fell back on IN,
hill about $50 yards 10 our right connected
with Braunan's forces and fought there brayel,
J till dark, aud Joined us at Rossyille.